Romans 15:23-24 But
now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I
have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to
Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me
on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
It was always Paul’s intention to take
the Gospel from one end of the Mediterranean to the other, from the shores of
Palestine to the Rock of Gibraltar. He had a vision of preaching to almost the
whole Roman Empire, which would have been a mammoth task to undertake. However,
despite having such a grand scale vision, his efforts to reach Spain would be
halted by his arrest in Jerusalem and subsequent fatal trial at Rome. He would
never fulfill his ambition, but his work would carry on to all sides of the Mediterranean
and beyond through those who heard his message and read his letters.
When I first became a pastor in
Scotland, all I wanted to do was serve a parish and help all sorts of people
come to Christ. I never dreamed of coming to the States to be part of a
different kind of ministry, which has now given me the ability to communicate
to Christians around the globe. Folks in the church at Erin, Knoxville,
Tennessee, as well as others in Scotland and across the world, get to read
these devotional messages. With the use of email, Facebook and even Twitter, I
can reach out to others from Christ all over the world at any time. It’s
humbling to realize this and when I read the list of countries and cities where
people read my devotionals, it really is staggering.
It makes me wonder how much Paul would
have used modern technology to reach people for Christ all over the Earth. He
endured hardships and suffering, beatings and imprisonment for the spreading of
the Gospel. He would have loved this new technology and would have put it to
wonderful use in order to share Christ’s message across the nations.
Thank you for reading these devotions
and for sometimes sharing them with your family and friends. Thank you for
taking time out of your busy schedule to read the scriptures, my thoughts, and
the devotional prayer. May God bless you on your journey of faith this day and
may He continue to grant you visions for bigger and better things for your
life, your church, and Christ’s ministry.
Questions for personal reflection
How can I use
the technology I own to spread the Gospel? Who can I share Christ’s message
with today?
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, thank You for the spreading of the Gospel throughout the world and for
the many new ways we can share Your words with others today. Grant us
opportunities to share our beliefs at the right time, with the right words, and
to those who need it most. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Today’s
image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Window Lamp.” It features an old
kerosene lamp lit in a window at dusk. If you would like to view a larger
version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3831/9622394834_c41fc6f281_b.jpg
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